A ROUND trip of almost 300 miles to North Bristol proved to be a step too far for Bude in their quest for glory in this season's RFU National Cup as they were soundly beaten by St Mary's Old Boys in the quarter-final of the competition last Saturday.

That win earned the Old Boys a home semi-final against Southampton side Trojans on Saturday, while Bude can instead turn their attention to the final of the Cornwall RFU Clubs Cup at Launceston on Sunday, May 31 (3pm) where they face league rivals Helston who won both clashes between the two this term.

The Seasiders appeared a little sluggish early on and conceded on four minutes as inside-centre Hayden Saunders shot through a gap to score. No.8 Andy Plummer added the extras.

Seven minutes later they doubled their lead when a good attacking move created width out wide and winger Max Hardcastle-Barrow crossed for the first of his four tries.

However, on 15 minutes they hit back when from a line-out some 20 metres out, a well-organised driving maul resulted in Wilson touching down at the back of the pack. Fly-half Brad Thomas converted from the tee (14-7).

What Bude needed now was a period of stability, but by the half-hour mark the hosts were all but out of sight.

In the 17th minute an attacking scrum some 15 metres out saw scrum-half Keiran Tucker slip the ball down the blindside to left wing Liam Graham who cut a delightful line back inside and crossed under the sticks for St Mary's third try, with Plummer adding the simplest of conversions. Further tries from Hardcastle-Barrow and Graham, the first of which was converted by Plummer, took the score to 33-7.

Bude needed a response in front of a healthy away support, and they hit back strongly before half-time. Firstly, on 34 minutes, a penalty move saw a maul created and scrum-half Ollie Rowland fed his half-back partner Thomas who sliced through the Old Boys defence and dotted down under the posts.

He converted his own try and then, just before the break, a penalty award was kicked to touch and from the ensuing line-out and maul, hooker Josh Rowland burrowed his way over for his first senior try. Thomas’ boot was again good to reduce the gap to 12.

The early minutes of the second period was a stalemate, but on 52 minutes the hosts broke the deadlock when Hardcastle-Barrow went in from 20 metres following a fine break from full-back Will Redwood.

Two further scores just before and just beyond the hour mark, the first from full back Redwood and the second from hooker Callum Beresford, both converted by Plummer, took the hosts points tally beyond the half-century mark.

On 70 minutes, Hardcastle-Barrow completed his quartet of tries with another long-distance effort, before the well beaten Seasiders had the last word as Wilson finished off an excellent move.

BUDE: Toby Mallard; Oscar Davey, Edy Hilliam-Cooke, Olly Denford, Cobi Yelland; Brad Thomas, Ollie Rowland; Alex Robinson, Josh Rowland, Charlie Firman; Will Hockridge (captain), Fred Saxton; Finley Fry, Matt Maniglia, Joe Wilson. Replacements: Anthony Kennett, Olly Mounce, Adam Lovejoy.

Tries: Wilson (2), Rowland, Thomas; Convs: Thomas (3); Pens: N/A.

Seasiders’ man-of-the-match: Toby Mallard.